Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid quotes from Tuesday

(On Brad Evans update) “We’re still working on the process. I think in the next couple of days we’ll know exactly what direction we’re heading with Brad. There’s a couple options right now. We’ve really been able to identify what the injury is. It’s not the knee that he had surgery on, it’s his other knee, which he took a knock on in the New York game in New York and kept him out for a week. That’s just something that ended up coming back a little bit because he had rested right after surgery, because he had to do that and that knee is perfect. There’s no problems with the surgically-repaired knee, but then the other one built up some issues and that’s what we’re trying to resolve.”

(Clarification on it being the other knee, not the one that locked up) “No, that’s the knee he had surgery on, so when it locked up it was a meniscus tear that we knew was there but it would only bother him once a year. So when it locked up the third time we said we have to go in and do that now. He was recovered from that. If that was the only thing bothering him he probably could’ve played three weeks after that, after the surgery. So he was good with that.”

(On having some rest this week, what can you do with that?) “Today we’re able to play a little 11v11 with the other guys, so trying to maintain their fitness as well. Tomorrow it allows us to do a little bit of group work, which we really haven’t done in a while. It allows us to get into the weights, which is important as well to maintain ourselves. Those are all things it allows us to do, and just to get in a little bit of a rhythm. But like I’ve said, guys don’t mind playing games and we start another rhythm of games after this, so it’ll be good.”

(On Parke and Ianni combo) “They’ve done alright together and they’ve fed off each other’s strengths in a way that it’s almost like they take turns. Sometimes the game’s going at Jeff a little bit, sometimes the game’s going at Pat. At different times different guys step up to win headers and so forth. But they’ve kept their game pretty simple, I think. They’ve done a good job of marking the forwards, making sure when they check back to the ball, not allowing them to turn and look forward. But they’ve also benefited as well from I think the rest of the team defending better, and so that it makes their job a little easier too.”

(On assessing the team after 20 games) “Well we’re .500. That’s how I assess the team right now. I think at the start of the season at times we played good soccer and the bounces didn’t go our way and it seemed like we couldn’t catch a break. We dominated some games and couldn’t win, and there were times we didn’t play well. I think now, obviously I think we’re playing better. Our spirit is very strong and positive. Even when you look at the second goal we scored against Houston, it’s something that two months ago they might’ve called offside on. So now it seems like maybe those little 50-50 things are going our way. But we’re also working very hard on the field and when you work hard you make your own luck, kind of thing. Right now I think we’re in a much better place than we were at the start of the season. We’re in a good place, we have to maintain it though. This is a streaky league, so there’s going to be a point where we’re maybe going to hit two and three games where it doesn’t quite come together as we want it to, but I feel confident that we’re not going to go into anything sustained. The team has found themselves and they’re confident in their abilities.”

(On Chivas) “Chivas is a completely different team than they were even three weeks ago. With all the changes of bringing in Maldonado, bringing in Espinoza on their team, Padilla is someone that’s been playing a lot for them, he’s coming off the bench now. They’ve loaned a couple players out. They’re still looking at maybe making another move or two. Justin Braun is in good form. They’re a team that they need to get points now, just like we do. Being at home they want to try and get their three points, so it’s going to have a playoff-type of intensity to it because for them they’re getting to that point in their season with the games remaining that pretty soon it’s not going to be feasible to get there. So it’s going to be a playoff-type intensity for sure.”

(On approaching last 10 games) “Just to continue to work on what we’re doing well, maintaining what we’re doing, continuing to build a relationship between Blaise and Fredy Montero, continuing to get Alvaro into the team, build his fitness, Blaise’s fitness as well. The understanding in midfield between Alonso and Sturgis has been pretty good over the last few games, they continue to do that. But we have so many games that other guys are going to get in there and play, and they’re going to get minutes. Maybe Seamon is going to emerge here and play a more dominant role. Maybe Montano comes back into play a dominant role. We’re going to need more than just the 11 starters. We’re going to need a lot of guys to contribute on this team. I think what we’ve shown as well over the last series of games is that we have depth. We can bring people off the bench and we can maintain our level of play. That’s something that’s very important to us and that’s what we want to achieve, is make sure our depth stays strong through the rest of the season and making sure we’re putting in a quality performance game after game.”

(On having so many games) “I like games. I think the players like games. You’d rather play games than train, I’ve said that before. I think we’re a club that wants to reach to the highest level possible. We’re a club that likes and appreciates challenges. Myself, as a coach, I like that as well. So right now we’re still on the dancefloor in three different songs and we want to continue to go.”